FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2014, file photo, the statue of George Washington on the steps of Federal Hall faces the facade of the New York Stock Exchange. U.S. employers added a vigorous 257,000 jobs in January, and wages jumped by the most in six years, evidence that the job market is accelerating closer to full health. The surprisingly robust report the government issued Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 also showed that hiring was far stronger in November and December than it had previously estimated. .(AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 40 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,925 as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern time.

The Standard & Poor's 500 rose six points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,069. The Nasdaq rose 16 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,781.

Before trading opened, the government reported that U.S. employers added 257,000 jobs last month, more than economists expected.